An NDTV investigation involving hidden cameras has revealed disturbing accounts of those accused of lynching in the name of the cow.

An NDTV team, posing as a researchers doing field work on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other Hindutva outfits, visited the accused in two lynching cases in two states.

The first report was on a lynching in Hapur, in Uttar Pradesh. It is here that on June 18, when a 45-year-old Qasim Qureshi, a meat trader, was lynched by a mob, while 65-year-old Samiuddin, a farmer, was badly injured.

The police arrested nine men, charging them with murder, attempt to murder and rioting. Four of the nine are currently out on bail.

NDTV travelled to Bajedha Khurd village in Hapur to meet one of the accused, Rakesh Sisodia, who is out on bail.

Sisodia, in a written statement to court, said that he had no role in the attack and wasn’t present at the spot. But on hidden camera, he bragged about the crime, saying he even accepted it before jail authorities. Sisodia had spent five-weeks in jail.

He also went on to speak about police support. “Police paksh me hai aur ye sab raha sarkaar kaa dum. Warna police paksh me nai rahti agar Azam Khan baithaa huaa rahta (The police is on our side because of the government. Otherwise, nothing would’ve happened if Azam Khan was in power),” he said. (Mr Khan was minister under the previous Samajwadi Party government.)

In the video of the attack, bystanders can be heard asking Qasim to be given water. Sisodia’s account of this moment is chilling. “Maine kaha tujhe paani peene kaa haq nai hai, tune marti hui gaaye ko paani nai diya. Meri fauj tujhe choregi nahi tujhe ek ek minute maaregi s*** ko. (I said he has no right to drink water, he slaughtered a cow. My army will kill him by every minute),” he said.